Record-Breaking Drive: Young Racer and Oxford Offer Holder Redefines Success in UK Karting 02 June 2026

Year 13 student Imogen is accelerating to remarkable success both on and off the track, establishing herself as one of the most promising young talents in British karting.

Currently competing in the Jamie Chadwick Series, the highest level of female-only Arrive and Drive karting in the country, she sits an impressive second in the championship standings.

Her achievements extend well beyond this season: she was the highest-placing female driver in the Junior Club100 Championships for three consecutive years (2022, 2023, and 2024), and in 2025 set a new benchmark by securing the highest-ever race final finish for a female driver in the Club100 Junior category, widely regarded as the pinnacle of Arrive and Drive karting in the UK.

Equally outstanding in the classroom, Imogen has received highly coveted offers from both the University of Oxford and Imperial College London to study Earth Sciences, underlining her exceptional academic ability alongside her sporting talent. In addition, she has been appointed Senior Cadet of the BMC Combined Cadet Forces – a prestigious honour that reflects her leadership and commitment. She stands as a true example of BMS values, balancing academic excellence with ambition and demonstrating integrity, determination and a commitment to growth that will undoubtedly serve her well in her future endeavours, while continuing to pursue her dreams with passion and purpose.

In an inspiring interview, Imogen reflects on her journey, highlighting the pivotal role Bedford Modern School has played in shaping her development – actively supporting her training, nurturing her ambitions and providing the structure to balance elite sport with academic success – while also encouraging other young girls to pursue their dreams with confidence.

Hear from Imogen herself about her journey with motorsport:

“I first started “racing” at 5 years old after a family friend made fun of me for being terrible at Mariokart. I practised constantly for the next few weeks until we played again and, having beaten him, I realised I very much enjoyed winning. I began watching Formula 1 and female role models like Suzie Wolff pushed me to try karting myself at 9 years old. At first I was terrible, but the thought of being faster than my older sister pushed me through the difficult first stages of learning. I fell in love with the sport because of its versatility and how competitive and challenging it is. Go karting is the only sport I have ever tried which requires full body strength, endurance, intelligence, immense focus, and relentless consistency, sometimes for two and a half hours at a time. 

Karting takes up a lot of my time that I probably should be spending revising and so I have to try and fit in revision wherever I can, whether that’s on a long car journey to Newcastle or trackside just before I put my helmet on. BMS has also really helped support me if I have to miss lessons for a race or if my own revision isn’t working. All subjects run twilight sessions, and every teacher is happy to go over content I have missed or don’t understand in their free time. 

BMS has undoubtedly made me a better racer. Karting requires resilience and discipline, when your lap times are terrible the first time you are at a new track or if you make a small mistake that inevitably drops you five positions, and BMS has helped me greatly improve these qualities. The CCF has forced me to improve my resilience. Mr Ramsay has also helped me change my mind set, shifting from thinking about what mistakes I could make to thinking instead about how I would like to approach the challenge, and as a result I now make fewer errors while racing. The school’s gym and gym staff have also been vital to improving my karting performance. Mrs Williams has helped me with concurrent training, which allows me to compete in endurance races and maintain focus on driving for longer. I have enjoyed maths at BMS since year 7, and the department have taught me how to approach a problem from multiple angles until I find a solution. This skill has been particularly useful in working out ways to overtake other drivers who are good at defending. Finally, BMS has made me believe that when I put my mind to something I can achieve it. 

For younger students, take every opportunity that is available to you, you will not regret it! Keep pushing through the difficult moments, ask for constructive criticism and advice whenever you can, and make sure you keep enjoying whatever it is you are pursuing! Remember that you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it. For any girls who would like to take up a male dominated sport, don’t be afraid to be the only girl in the room and remember that you belong there just as much as anyone else. 

In the future, I am looking forward to competing in the British University Kart Championship and hopefully winning the Jamie Chadwick Series!”